Michigan promises careful review of Waukesha water withdrawal request

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan officials say they’ll carefully study a request by the city of Waukesha to use Lake Michigan for its drinking water.

Waukesha’s groundwater aquifer is contaminated and the city of 70,000 is under court order to develop a clean source.

It has proposed diverting water from Lake Michigan, which is only 15 miles away. But Waukesha is just outside the lake’s watershed, so a regional compact requires it to get permission from the eight states in the Great Lakes region to draw the water.

Wisconsin has forwarded the request to the other states.

Jon Allan of Michigan’s Office of the Great Lakes says two public meetings will be held Feb. 9 at Lansing Community College. Michigan residents also can submit comments in writing until March 1.